Lower back MRI with contrast cost in New York, NY
In New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, 48 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye: from $300.00 to $12,948.40, with a median of $476.54. The lowest listed price is at Maimonides Medical Center — $176.54 less than the median here. Across New York, the median is $1,557.00 at 61 hospitals.
Cash prices at 48 facilities across 36 cities for code 72158, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 25, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Oct 28, 2025 and Sep 5, 2026.
Lowest$300.00Maimonides Medical Center
Median$476.54half pay less
Highest$12,948.40in this market
Difference43.2×highest vs lowest
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
median
Lowest $300.00Highest $12,948.40
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maimonides Medical Center lowest Brooklyn, NY · (718) 283-6000 LUMBAR SPINE W & WO CONTRAST | $300.00 | $300.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kings County Hospital Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 245-3901 CHG MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O & W/CONTR MATRL | $356.43 | $1,287.00 | $370.50–$1,417.00 | 72% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Bellevue Hospital Center New York, NY · (212) 561-4132 CHG MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O & W/CONTR MATRL | $356.43 | $1,287.00 | $370.50–$1,417.00 | 72% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Kings County Hospital Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 245-3901 CHG MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O & W/CONTR MATRL | $356.43 | $1,287.00 | $370.50–$1,417.00 | 72% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| New York City Health and Hospitals Jamaica, NY CHG MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O & W/CONTR MATRL | $356.43 | $1,287.00 | $370.50–$1,417.00 | 72% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Ocean Medical Center Brick, NJ · (732) 840-2200 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $357.13 | $5,433.00 | $1,034.99–$4,618.05 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| JFK University Medical Center Edison, NJ · (732) 321-7000 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $357.13 | $5,433.00 | $1,034.99–$4,618.05 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| St. Barnabas Hospital Bronx, NY · (212) 960-9000 CHG MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O & W/CONTR MATRL | $380.41 | $1,414.46 | $259.68–$834.68 | 73% | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Newton Medical Center Newton, NJ · (973) 383-2121 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $390.24 | $7,880.36 | — | 95% | — source file |
| Newton Medical Center Newton, NJ · (973) 383-2121 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $390.24 | $6,372.00 | — | 94% | — source file |
| Southern Ocean Medical Center Manahawkin, NJ · (609) 597-6011 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $390.30 | $6,039.00 | $1,087.02–$5,520.85 | 94% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Ocean Medical Center Brick, NJ · (732) 840-2200 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $390.30 | $6,039.00 | $602.36–$4,332.00 | 94% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Hmh Hospitals Red Bank, NJ MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $395.29 | $6,039.00 | $602.36–$4,332.00 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Hmh Hospitals Neptune City, NJ MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $395.29 | $5,433.00 | $602.36–$5,610.00 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Bayshore Medical Center Holmdel, NJ · (732) 739-5900 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $395.29 | $6,039.00 | $693.61–$4,332.00 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Raritan Bay Medical Center Perth Amboy, NJ · (732) 324-5000 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $395.64 | $6,039.00 | $632.30–$4,332.00 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Hmh Hospitals Old Bridge, NJ MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $395.64 | $6,039.00 | $632.30–$4,332.00 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| JFK University Medical Center Edison, NJ · (732) 321-7000 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $395.64 | $5,433.00 | $874.71–$5,048.89 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Saint Marys Hospital Passaic, NJ · (973) 365-4300 Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine Combo | $412.00 | $5,840.00 | $329.95–$4,964.00 | 93% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack, NJ · (551) 996-2000 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $420.58 | $5,433.00 | $977.94–$5,298.26 | 92% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| Palisades Medical Center North Bergen, NJ · (201) 854-5000 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O &W/CONTR MATRL | $420.58 | $6,039.00 | $632.30–$4,332.00 | 93% | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| New York City Health and Hospitals Jamaica, NY HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $2,650.36 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 84% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Kings County Hospital Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 245-3901 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $1,342.54 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 69% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Bellevue Hospital Center New York, NY · (212) 561-4132 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $2,650.36 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 84% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Kings County Hospital Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 245-3901 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $2,650.36 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 84% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Bellevue Hospital Center New York, NY · (212) 561-4132 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $1,342.54 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 69% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Jacobi Medical Center Bronx, NY · (718) 918-5000 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $2,650.36 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 84% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| New York City Health and Hospitals Broadway Elmhurst, NY HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $1,342.54 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 69% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Jacobi Medical Center Bronx, NY · (718) 918-5000 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $1,342.54 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 69% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Metropolitan Hospital Center New York, NY · (212) 423-6262 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $1,342.54 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 69% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Jacobi Medical Center Bronx, NY · (718) 918-5000 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $2,650.36 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 84% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| Kings County Hospital Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 245-3901 HC MRI, SPINAL CANAL & CONTENTS, W/O CONTRAST, FOLLOWED BY CONTR | $422.61 | $2,650.36 | $1.00–$1,787.00 | 84% | Sep 5, 2026 source file |
| CentraState Medical Center Freehold Township, NJ · (732) 294-7012 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $448.77 | $6,643.79 | — | 93% | — source file |
| University Hospital Newark, NJ · (973) 972-4300 MRI SPINAL CANAL LUMBAR W/O & W/CONTR MATRL | $467.57 | $10,228.17 | $406.58–$9,716.76 | 95% | Aug 13, 2026 source file |
| Morristown Medical Center Morristown, NJ · (973) 971-5450 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $6,433.00 | — | 93% | — source file |
| Morristown Medical Center Morristown, NJ · (973) 971-5450 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $7,984.60 | — | 94% | — source file |
| Chilton Medical Center Pompton Plains, NJ · (973) 831-5000 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $12,488.60 | — | 96% | — source file |
| Chilton Medical Center Pompton Plains, NJ · (973) 831-5000 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $11,837.00 | — | 96% | — source file |
| Overlook Medical Center Summit, NJ · (908) 522-2000 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $7,086.80 | — | 93% | — source file |
| Overlook Medical Center Summit, NJ · (908) 522-2000 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $6,311.00 | — | 92% | — source file |
| CentraState Medical Center Freehold Township, NJ · (732) 294-7012 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $476.54 | $1,208.00 | — | 61% | — source file |
| CentraState Medical Center Freehold Township, NJ · (732) 294-7012 MRI Spine Lumb W&WO | $618.44 | $9,575.80 | — | 94% | — source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases New York, NY MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$1,806.36 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases New York, NY MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl|PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$617.80 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases Basking Ridge, NJ MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$1,806.36 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases Basking Ridge, NJ MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl|PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$571.50 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases West Harrison, NY MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$1,806.36 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases West Harrison, NY MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl|PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$617.80 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases Middletown, NJ MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$1,806.36 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases Middletown, NJ MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contr Matrl|PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT | $635.00 | $635.00 | $117.16–$571.50 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Englewood Health Englewood, NJ · (201) 894-3000 MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O &W/Contr Matrl | $721.30 | $7,213.00 | $527.27–$5,770.40 | 90% | Feb 2, 2026 source file |
| Maimonides Medical Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 283-6000 LUMBAR SPINE W & WO CONTRAST. | $930.00 | $930.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Nassau University Medical Center East Meadow, NY · (516) 572-0123 Mri Lumbar Spine W&W/O Contrst | $953.16 | $1,361.65 | $208.50–$1,361.65 | 30% | Oct 28, 2025 source file |
| Nassau University Medical Center East Meadow, NY · (516) 572-0123 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $953.57 | $1,362.23 | $315.32–$423.36 | 30% | Oct 28, 2025 source file |
| Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Jamaica, NY · (718) 262-6000 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,557.00 | $1,557.00 | $203.22–$2,456.00 | — | — source file |
| Flushing Hospital Medical Center Flushing, NY · (718) 670-5000 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,557.00 | $1,557.00 | $203.22–$2,507.20 | — | — source file |
| The Valley Hospital Paramus, NJ · (201) 447-8000 MRI LUM SPINE W/O & W/CON | $1,698.60 | $2,831.00 | $354.21–$2,123.25 | 40% | — source file |
| NYU Langone New York, NY · (212) 263-7300 HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,916.10 | $10,084.72 | $226.37–$10,084.72 | 81% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| NYU Langone Brooklyn, NY HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,916.10 | $10,084.72 | $226.37–$10,084.72 | 81% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| NYU Langone Mineola, NY HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,916.10 | $10,084.72 | $226.37–$10,084.72 | 81% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| NYU Langone New York, NY · (212) 263-7300 HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,916.10 | $10,084.72 | $226.37–$10,084.72 | 81% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| NYU Langone Hospital - Suffolk Patchogue, NY · (631) 654-7100 HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $1,916.10 | $10,084.72 | $226.37–$10,084.72 | 81% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Nassau University Medical Center East Meadow, NY · (516) 572-0123 Mri Spine Lumbar W&W/O Cntrst | $3,161.93 | $4,517.03 | $208.50–$4,517.03 | 30% | Oct 28, 2025 source file |
| Maimonides Medical Center Brooklyn, NY · (718) 283-6000 MRI L SPINE W/W/O CONTRAST | $3,850.00 | $3,850.00 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Sinai Behavioral Health Center New York, NY HC MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $5,400.00 | $6,000.00 | — | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Sinai Queens Long Island, NY HC MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $5,400.00 | $6,000.00 | — | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Mount Sinai Hospital New York, NY · (212) 241-7981 HC MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $5,400.00 | $6,000.00 | — | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Sinai Brooklyn Brooklyn, NY HC MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $5,400.00 | $6,000.00 | — | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Sinai Morningside New York, NY HC MRI Spinal Canal Lumbar W/O & W/Contrast | $5,400.00 | $6,000.00 | — | 10% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St Johns Riverside Hospital Park Care Pavillion Yonkers, NY MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $6,368.20 | $7,492.00 | $368.36–$3,641.00 | 15% | — source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases Middletown, NJ HC MRI, Lumbar Spine Combo - MRI Lumbar Spine W WO Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | $1,719.00–$5,799.60 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases New York, NY HC MRI, Lumbar Spine Combo - MRI Lumbar Spine W WO Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | $780.07–$5,799.60 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases West Harrison, NY HC MRI, Lumbar Spine Combo - MRI Lumbar Spine W WO Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | $780.07–$5,799.60 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases Basking Ridge, NJ HC MRI, Lumbar Spine Combo - MRI Lumbar Spine W WO Contrast | $6,444.00 | $6,444.00 | $1,719.00–$5,799.60 | — | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Stony Brook University Hospital Stony Brook, NY · (631) 444-4000 MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $8,075.00 | $8,075.00 | $433.36–$4,255.00 | — | — source file |
| Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Southampton, NY MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $8,075.44 | $8,075.44 | $433.36–$2,754.00 | — | — source file |
| Stony Brook University Hospital Stony Brook, NY · (631) 444-4000 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $8,640.00 | $8,640.00 | $433.36–$4,255.00 | — | — source file |
| Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Southampton, NY MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $8,640.72 | $8,640.72 | $433.36–$2,754.00 | — | — source file |
| Brooklyn Hospital Center at Downtown Campus Brooklyn, NY · (718) 250-8000 MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL BEFORE AND AFTER CONTRAST | $9,357.96 | $9,357.96 | $346.69–$3,157.00 | — | — source file |
| Brooklyn Hospital Center at Downtown Campus Brooklyn, NY · (718) 250-8000 MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O & W/DYE | $10,713.93 | $10,713.93 | $346.69–$3,157.00 | — | — source file |
| Hudson Regional Hospital Secaucus, NJ · (201) 392-3200 MRI scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast | $12,948.40 | $12,948.40 | $588.99–$24,433.63 | — | Jan 19, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $300.00, median $476.54, highest $12,948.40 — a 43.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 25 facilities here, median $635.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 33 of 37 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 13 it is below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This MRI of the lumbar spine takes one set of pictures without contrast dye and a second set after the dye is injected into a vein. The dye helps tell scar tissue from a new disc problem after back surgery and can show infection, inflammation or tumors.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers both sets of images; the contrast agent may appear as a separate line on some bills. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.